Finishing touches

The National Association of Estate Agents says the average property price in the UK fell for the fourth consecutive month in September. Prices were on average 1.6 per cent lower than the previous month, bringing the annual increase down to 7.95 per cent and the average price to £197,633. Signs that the market is cooling in many parts of Britain are leading to apathy among buyers and resulting in a half of all households planning to improve rather than move this year, according to Bradford and Bingley. Its research revealed one in two households plan to refresh the home by replacing furniture, carpets and curtains, a third intend to fit a new bathroom, and more than a quarter are looking to landscape the garden. www.naea.org.ukwww.bradfordandbingley.co.uk 0800 11 33 33

Many first-time buyers are unaware of the potential costs of buying property on one of the 40,000 'unadopted' roads in the UK, according to Manchester law firm Glaisyers. Unadopted roads do not reach the minimum standards set by the local authority and therefore do not receive any maintenance and in some cases may not have basic services such as drainage and street lighting. Mike Charlesworth, property partner at Glaisyers, says: 'Some homebuyers like unadopted roads because they can be signposted "private", while others are so full of potholes that they become a safe haven for children to play as cars are discouraged from driving along them.' But if the local council adopts a road, the people living in it will be forced to pay the full cost of bringing it up to standard, which can cost as much as £20,000. www.glaisyers.com 0161 832 4666.

London homeowners might be more inclined to back the capital's 2012 Olympic bid in light of research by Halifax, showing the regeneration effects of hosting the games could have a positive impact on house prices. Each of the previous four host cities has seen prices rise by more than the national average over the five-year period in the run-up to the games. The average boost to prices was 19 per cent, with Barcelona emerging as the best performer with prices rising by 131 per cent, compared with an 83 per cent increase in Spanish house prices. <A HREF="http://www.halifax.co.uk"

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HSBC's insurance experts are advising homeowners planning private fireworks parties to check that their home and possessions are covered in case of damage by fire or stray rockets. Last year, nearly 1,140 people were treated in accident and emergency departments during the firework season and many of these happened at private displays. Out-of-control fireworks can also cause thousands of pounds' worth of damage to property, breaking windows, setting garden sheds on fire or even breaking roof tiles. If you are not insured against this kind of damage, you could find yourself footing the bill for repairs. www.hsbc.co.uk